2018 – Week 14

I don’t know what it is about the US Open Rules event that brings out the worst in most of us but whatever it is, we can’t deny that it still remains one of the more entertaining events of the season. Here are some stats from this year’s event to chew on. 

• 88% of league were over par 
• Only 3 out of 21 players scored under par 
• There’s always at least one score over 70. This year the high score was 74 
• The pressure of the event caused one player to leave his putter in his trunk 
• There was at least one official rules violation that cost a player a point 

Is it the “no gimmies” on the putting green? Is it “playing the ball down” that is the difference? Perhaps it’s playing from the back tees? Or maybe it is just the words, “US Open Rules event” that send chills down the spines of normally otherwise average weekend golfers. Whatever the reason, it makes for one very entertaining, but LONG evening. If there is a downside to this event, it’s the slow play. This year was no different. The last twosome finished in the dark with the sprinklers watering the green. This actually caused Fusting to lose his concentration for a split second in front of the entire gallery as he inadvertently picked up his tap-in putt instead of putting it out. This wound up costing him a point in the match. As close as the top four teams are this year, we’ll have to see if that comes back to haunt The Process later on. 

I have a question for Captain Obvious. How is it that one can leave their putter in the trunk? Why wouldn’t the putter have been in the golf bag with all the other clubs? Didn’t you practice a couple of putts on the practice green? Is there an alternative relationship between you and your putter that requires “quick” access from the trunk of your vehicle? Was it used as a murder weapon earlier in the week and forgotten to be put back into the bag? How exactly does this major faux pas come to be? We are all extremely curious.  

It seems as though the great experiment of grouping the foursomes together so that you play the entire season with your teammates may be coming to a boil for some of the teams.  There have been reports from at least two team camps that the honeymoon period may be over. How ironic that the rumors of “family issues” are coming from the top two teams tied for first place in the 2018 GCCGL. We can’t get too specific without potentially destroying two loving families and causing irreparable harm. Under no circumstances will I jeopardize the integrity of this fine institution, the GCCGL, for some juicy gossip and cheap laughs. I know what you are thinking, “PW, since when does this blog hold back anything when it comes to laughs?” This is BS man!” All I can say is, you’re right. I’ve thrown many members under the proverbial bus (including myself) over the years. All in the sake of providing quality entertainment. But we must be careful to protect the integrity of this league as not to sway the race for the championship one way or another. We’ll have to wait to see how this plays out and then, and only then, pounce at the opportunity when things have been decided. Besides, the top two teams may just implode over the coming weeks and all this will be a mute point.

All we can divulge at this time is that the reported squabbles may or may not include “excessive  banter or chatter” and /or “music tastes”.  You know they say that all great teams have clubhouse drama of some sort. Perhaps this will energize these two teams over the next six weeks and propel them to the GCCGL Championship. Or it may destroy them from the inside out spiraling them down the standings and out of the money.  How this will affect the race for the championship? No one knows for sure.  

The big winners this week were The Process who crushed Catalina Wine Mixer (25.5 – 14.5). They were led by Scratch who took 7.5 points over Meat’s card. Putter Face defeated Donkey’s Disciples (23 – 17). They were led by Lip Gloss who grabbed 8 points. Ballers…Schott Callers! beat the Hackstreet Boys (21.5 – 18.5). They were led by Big Donkey Enterprises, LLC subbing for Captain Hairy who managed 7 points. 

The low net winners were Scratch and Lip Gloss (A/B) with low nets of 35 and Captain Obvious (C/D) with a low net of 31. Great rounds everyone and congratulations! We move to the Pioneer front the next two weeks. We hope to see you on the course and as always, hit ‘em straight! 

We leave you today with a video of the inaugural PGA Rules event from two years ago in 2016. Many of you have already seen this but for those who haven’t, please feel free to take a look. Good times indeed. 

George Almeida – GCCGL Co-commissioner